Automatic air-coupling.



G. A. PETERS & W. C. MOWRER.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED OCT-23, 1915.

Patented June 6, 1916.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

. l l l l HHH lmv Moi/M411 I THE COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 10., WASHINGTON, D. C-

6. A. PETERS & W. C. MOWRER.

AUTOMATIC AIR COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED 0CT.23. I915.

- Patented June 6, 1916;

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- amen WW GflRZZZTS 1 WG/Yowra? THB COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GUSTAV A. PETERS AND WALTER C. MOWRER, OF AURORA, NEBRASKA; SAID MOWRER ASSIGNOB-TO SAID PETERS.

AUTOMATIC AIR-COUPLING.

Application filed October 23, 1915.

To all whom it may concern: 9 p

Be it known that we, GUSTAV A. PETERS and VALTER C. MowRnR, citizens of the United States, residing at Aurora, in the county of Hamilton and State of Nebraska, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Automatic Air-Couplings; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to automatic air couplers for use upon railway rolling stock, and the primary object of the invention is to provide a coupler which is comparatively simple in construction, durable in operation, and which will automatically couple the air line of a train, upon the coupling of the cars of the same, thereby eliminating the necessity of coupling the air line by hand.

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic air coupler as specified, which has a valve interposed in the air line pipe, and to provide means for automatically opening the valve upon the connection of a pair of couplers carried by diflerent cars, and automatically cutting off 1 the passage of air through the coupler when a pair of couplers are disconnected or uncoupled. v

Another object of this invention is to provide an automatic air coupler which is yieldably supported for lateral or vertical movement with respect to the car to which it is attached, and which has a novel form of locking means for automatically locking the couplers connected.

lVith the foregoing and other objects in view this invention consists in such novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and claimed.

In describing the invention in detail reference will be had to the accompanying drawings whereinlike characters designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure l is a top plan view of a pair of couplers connected, Fig. 2 is aside elevation of the connected couplers, Fig. 3 is an end view of one of the couplers, showing its supporting frame in section, Fig. 4 is a perspective view of part of the supporting Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 6, 1916.

Serial No. 57,599. 1

frame-work of the coupler, Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a part of the frame-work lower edges respectively of the ends of its leg portions. The lugs 3 and 4 are seated in slots 5 and 6 respectively, which are formed in the longitudinal sides 7 and 8 of a rectangular frame 9. The lugs 3 and 4 have transversely extending pins 10 formed thereupon, which are inserted in the ends of spiral springs 11. The spiral springs 11 are positioned within the slots 5 and 6, and they have their ends opposite to the ones which are coiled about the pins 10, coiled about pins 12 whichare carried by the ends of the rectangular frame 9 and project inwardly into the slots 5 and 6, as is clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings. The provision of the rectangular frame 9, and the springs 11, yieldably mount the frame 2 for lateral movement with respect to the car body to which the same is attached. A

The rectangular frame 9 is supported by a second rectangular frame 15, which is secured to the under surface of a car body in any suitable manner. The rectangular frame 15 has its vertical sides or uprights 16 and 17 provided with longitudinally extending grooves 18, in which the ends of the rectangular frame 9 are slidably seated for permitting of vertical movement of the frame 9 and consequently the frame 2 and the coupler head 1 which are carried by the frame 9. y v

The coupler head 1 has a forwardly projecting coupling tongue 20 formed thereon, the surface 21 of which is vertical. The coupler head 1 is provided with a recess 22 extending therein'from its forward end, which is shaped for receiving the coupling tongue 20 formed upon a coupling head carried by a second car structure. The coupling tongue 20 is provided with a duct 24 which is angled and extends inwardly toward the straight vertical face 21, as is clearly shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The duct 24 terminates in an enlarged opening 25, in which is seated a gasket 26. The

gasket 26 is provided for engagement with a gasket carried by a second coupler head for forming a substantially air and fluid an arm 30, by a pin and socket connection,

as shown at 31. The arm 30 is pivotally carried by the frame 2, as shown at 30.

The coupling head 1 has a rod 32 secured centrally to the rear end of the same, which rod passes through an opening 33 formed in the bight portion 34 of the U-shaped frame 2. A nut 35 is mounted upon the rod 32 outwardly of the bight portion of the U shaped frame 2, and. is provided for preventing the rod from passing completely through the opening 33. A cushioning spiral spring is coiled about the rod 32 and one end of the same engages the coupler head, while the other end engages the inner surface of the bight portion 34.

Then cars, upon which the improved air coupler, are applied, are coupled, the coupling tongues 20 of one of the automatic air couplers, will automatically seat itself in the recess 22 formed in the coupler head of a second car, at which times the mouth of the opening or duct 24 will aline, as is shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing, opening communication between the air line pipe 27 of each of the coupled cars. The jar or compact of the coupling of the cars, will force the coupling head 1 rearwardly within the U-shaped frame 2 against the tension of the spring 36. The rearward movement of the coupler head will move the valve and pipe 27 synchronously therewith, and consequently move the arms 29, causing them. to automatically open the valve structure 28 and permit of the passage of air into and through the duct 24. When the couplers are uncoupled or disconnected, the tension upon the coupler heads and the springs 36 will be released. and the springs will act, forcing the coupler heads 1 outwardly within the U- shaped brackets 2, which will rock the arms 29 in a reverse direction to the movement caused by the inward movement of the cow pler head and automatically close the valve structures 28, cutting off the passage'of air throughthe pipe 27 into the duct 24.

The coupler head l is provided with a pair of grooves 40 formed in the top and bottom sides of the same, in which grooves a portion of levers 41 are seated. The levers 41 are pivotally'connected as is shown at 42 to the coupler head and they have their rearwardly extending ends bent upwardly as is shown at 43 and extending beyond the plane of the top and bottom surfaces of the coupler head. 41 have locking bolts 44 pivotally connected thereto. through openings formed in the coupler head 1 and extend into the recess 22. The bolts 44 are adapted for seating in recesses 45 formed in the coupling tongue 20 formed upon a coupling head carried by a second car structure. The coupling tongue 20 of the coupling head 1 is also provided with openings 45 for receiving the locking bolts carried by the coupling head mounted upon a second car structure. any number of the locking bolt-s may be employed, as practical conditions may necessitate without departing from the spirit of' this invention.

Upon the coupling of a pair of cars equipped with the automatic air coupler, the sliding movement of the coupler heads will cause the frame 9 to engage the levers 41' and force them inwardly into the slots 40 moving the locking bolts 44 into the re cesses 45 and efliciently locking the automatic air coupling heads connected. Then the cars are uncoupled, the movement of the coupler heads will cause the frame 9 to engage the angled end 43 of the levers 41 and to rock these levers upon their pivotal point for moving the locking bolt 44 out of the recesses 45, and permit of the uncoupling. of the automatic air coupler.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings the advantages of construction and the method of operation of the improved automatic air coupler will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains and, while in the foregoing description, the principle of the operation of this invention has been described together with various features of construc tion, it is to be understood that certain minor features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be altered to suit practical conditions provided such alterae tions are comprehended within the scope of, what is claimed.

l/Vhat is claimed is 1. In an automatic air coupler, the com-- bination, of a substantially rectangularly shaped frame supported forvertical move-. ment beneath a car body, a substantially U- shaped frame carried by said rectangular frame, a coupler head slidably carried by said U-shaped frame, and a locking means carried by said coupler head.

2. In an automatic air coupler, the combination, of a substantially rectangularly shaped frame supported for vertical move ment beneath the car body, a substantially U-shaped frame supported by said rectangular frame for horizontal movement, a con- The inner ends of the levers The locking bolts 44 extend- If it is so desired,

pler head slidably carried by said U-shaped frame, a rod connected to said coupler head and extending through the bight portion of said U-shaped frame, a cushion spiral sprin coiled about said rod and having one end engaging said coupler head and the other end engaging the inner surface of the bight portion of said U-shaped frame for yieldably supporting said coupler head by said U-shaped frame, and locking means carried by said coupler head.

3. In an automatic air coupler, the combination, of a substantially rectangularly shaped frame supported for vertical movement beneath a car body, a substantially U- shaped frame supported by said rectangular frame for horizontal movement, a coupler head slidably carried by said U-shaped frame, a rod connected to said couplerhead and extending through the bight portion of said U-shaped frame, a cushion spiral spring coiled about said rod and having one end engaging said coupler head and the other end engaging the inner surface of the bight portion of said U-shaped frame for yieldably supporting said coupler head by said U-shaped frame, locking means carried by said coupler head, an air duct extending through said coupler head, an air line pipe communicating with said duct, a valve interposed in said pipe, and means for automatically operating said valve upon the slidable movement of said coupler head Within said U-shaped frame.

4. In an automatic air coupler, the combination, of a substantially rectangular frame supported beneath a car body, a secframe, a rod connected to said coupler head and extending through the bight portion of said U-shaped frame, a cushionmg spring coiled about said rod andhaving one end engaging said coupler head and the other end engaging the inner surface of the bight portion of said U-shaped frame, said coupler head being provided with a coupling tongue, and a recess for receiving the coupling tongue of a coupler carried by the second car body, said coupler head being provided with an air duct, an air line pipe communicating with said duct, a valve interposed in said air line pipe, an arm connected to said valve and to a second arm, said second named arm being carried by said U- shaped frame for rocking said first named arm for operating said valve upon slidable movement of said coupler head Within said U-shaped frame, and locking means carried by said coupling head for engagement with a coupling head carried by a second car for locking the coupling heads in a connected or coupled position.

In testimony whereof We aflix our signatures in presence of tWo Witnesses.

GUSTAV A. PETERS. WALTER C. MOWRER. Witnesses:

Mrs. W. E. WRIGHT, GUY F. BRO N.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0. 

